Deconstructing Dowland

Duet for guitar and computer (real-time sound processing).

10’00 (2009)

Natasha Barrett

John Dowland’s song Can she excuse my wrongs? was published in 1597 in the First Book of Songs.
The song is in the form of a galliard that we find as both consort setting and as three galliards for lute
solo. Taken together, these lute pieces may give an idea of Dowland’s art of extemporization. In 2003
Barrett began work on a live electronics composition for guitarist Stefan Östersjö. This composition,
Where shadows do for bodies stand takes as its starting point Dowland’s Can she excuse my wrongs?.
The electroacoustic medium provided a means to connect antique music to a new aesthetic of sound-
surrealism that dually serves to expand the guitar's quiet and intimate sonority. Dragging the antique
into the modern even further, deconstruction of the three galliards was the source of Deconstructing
Dowland. Deconstruction can be a process of dismantling to create something new; a transgression, a
disruption, a shifting of meaning from the inside out. Deconstructing Dowland was commissioned by
Stefan Östersjö with funds from the Norwegian "Fond for lyd og bilde”.

Performers

Classical guitarist.
Computer performer (MaxMSP, live sound processing and score reading).

Technical requirements

• Two low noise condenser microphones.

• One miniature microphone (DPA 4060).
• MacOSX computer, (2008 speed: 2.4 GHz dual core processor or faster).
• MaxMSP 5 or higher.
• MIDI faders to control MaxMSP.
• Audio interface for three inputs and six outputs.
• Concert loudspeaker system (4 to 8 loudspeakers).

Guitar Notation

Opening preparation: Press small balls of Blue-Tack (approximately 4 mm in diameter) around the
strings approximately 3 mm behind the frets specified below. To find the exact position some
experiment is needed, as the result is different for each instrument. Ensure that the ‘open string’ moves
freely and that it doesn’t buzz when plucked. Also, try to avoid buzzing for fingered notes. It may help
to pinch the ball such that the main mass of Blue-Tack it sticking up above the string. The sounding
result is rather different from when playing a normal harmonic.

String-1, fret 18
String-2, fret 13
String-3, fret 17
String-4, fret 17
String-5, fret 15
String-6, fret 13

“Pull-off Blue-Tack” with Bartok pizz action (and therefore also removing the preparation).

“LH”: left-hand.

Small note heads: fast and always in left hand slur without right hand re-articulation.
 Lower note: tremolo percussive sound using thumb and ring
finger on the body of guitar above the sound-hole. Motion from
bridge to the left.

Upper note: Trill with right hand hammer-on

Lower note: tremolo percussive sound using thumb and ring

finger above and below guitar neck.

Upper note: sustained.

Finger specified pitches, dampen the other strings with left hand,
hit the bridge to make the pitches resonate.

Hammer-on, l=left hand, r = right hand.

When no hand is specified use left hand or as it comes naturally.

Finger note as written but pluck string on the left side of the left
hand with the right hand. The resulting pitch is not the written
note.

Heavily dampen note (not in normal pizz style)

Touch string as if playing a harmonic on the first note that comes

naturally under the hand on the 6th string. The result should be a
dampened ‘clonk’ sound with harmonic overtones.

Computer

Computer installation instructions

• Use a full version of MaxMSP.

• Copy all materials into one folder and follow the README instructions.

The computer part is a MaxMSP patch controlled by a performer other than the guitarist. The computer
person triggers consecutive processes in synchronization with the guitarist. These trigger points are
indicated in the score by the marks T1, T2... to T56. The computer performer should be able to read
complex notation and have rehearsed with the guitarist prior to the performance. (This work is a duet
rather than a soloist + technician).

To trigger a T-point, press space bar on the computer keyboard.

Volume levels and mixing are controlled by the MIDI faders.

The computer processes consist of:

- The playback of pre-made electroacoustic sounds, where one sound is triggered for a given T-
point. Note that many sound-files overlap.

- The activation of auto attack detection, after which the computer calculates guitar articulations
and automatically synchronises the playback of short, pre-made electroacoustic sounds.

- Real-time cross synthesis (with filtering and reverb) of the live guitar and pre-made
electroacoustic sound.

- Recording live guitar for later use in real-time cross synthesis.

In the score, there is a brief description of computer functions for each T-point.

Calibrating the computer

A number of parameters in the MaxMSP patch need to be calibrated post microphone EQ (for
microphones and technical set-up, refer to the section ‘technical set-up’).

1. Setting the input level

Ask the guitarist to play bars 39-41 and adjust the input level to the point marked on “adc input level”.
After setting the input level, the microphones must not be moved and the guitarist should be in the
same position. If in doubt, take a digital photo.

2. Calibrating auto-attack detection

Ask the guitarist to play bar 12. Change the value until the yellow button flashes once only on each
articulation. This value should be in the range 30-50. Next, ask the guitarist play bar 74. Change the
value until the yellow button flashes once only on each articulation. This value should be in the range
10-20. Save the patch ready for the concert.

3. During the cross-synthesis passages (such as bars 39-55) the output is contingent on the input
volume and timbre. It is advisable to check the volume carefully during rehearsals and ensure that no
feedback occurs.

Mixing the sound in the concert

1. There are six output channels from the computer. Channels 1 and 2 are the pre-prepared
electroacoustic materials. Channels 3 and 4 are the cross-synthesis output. The relative volumes have
been set within the MaxMSP patch, but some adjustments may be necessary. The volumes of these four
signals should be adjusted appropriately at the mixer. Channels 5 and 6 add an optional reverb effect to
both the live guitar and the electroacoustic materials. This reverberation is for subtle effect and should
be used with caution. EQ the reverb signal at the mixer to avoid feedback.

2. The levels from the amplified guitar and computer should be balanced equally at the mixer.
Attention should be made to the sections of cross synthesis where the computer part should be of a rich
sound and equal to the live guitar.
Technical set-up

The person operating the computer part needs clear visual contact with the guitarist and to clearly see
the guitarist’s hands.

Microphones:

- Two condenser microphones positioned as close as possible to the guitar, one covering the fret
board, one covering the sound-hole.
- One miniature microphone (DPA 4060) under the strings close to the sound-hole, to achieve a
high amplification of quiet sounds without feedback.

Mixer routing:

- Three microphones from guitar to mixing desk (for phantom power and EQ), then into three
inputs of the audio interface.
- Six channels from computer routed into desk.
- Stereo mix-down of six computer channels routed over loudspeakers

Loudspeaker setups:

The loudspeaker set-up will depend on the size of the space and audience. Here are some options with
mix indications:

3 1 guitar 2 4 4-speaker option:

Amplified guitar routed left-right only to speakers 1-2
(direct from mixer)
Computer routed left-right evenly over all speaker pairs

3 1 guitar 2 4
6-speaker option:
Amplified guitar 100% to speakers 1-2 (direct from mixer)
Amplified guitar lower level to speakers 3-4 (direct from
mixer)
6 Computer routed left-right evenly over all speaker pairs
5

3 1 guitar 2 4 8-speaker option:

Amplified guitar 100% to speakers 1-2 (direct from mixer)
Amplified guitar lower level to speakers 3-4 (direct from
mixer)
Computer routed left-right evenly over all speaker pairs.
5 6

7 8